


I'll come back (if you call me)

by between_najam



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Forestspirit!Hyungwon, Human!Shownu, M/M, Multi, Pining, Slow Burn, Witch!Wonho, fairy!kihyun, fairy!minhyuk, foxspirit!jooheon, kind of but not really?, no beta we die like men, shifter!changkyun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-27 22:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20053225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/between_najam/pseuds/between_najam
Summary: In which Wonho drunkenly did a soulmate summoning spell but nothing happens[Alternate summary: Hyunwoo have always been there but hoseok’s a dumb dumb](Title will probably change)





	I'll come back (if you call me)

**Author's Note:**

> this is a work of fiction. This is a fictional version of MX. Don't be a dick pls.
> 
> I've had this as a wip for so long and it has been driving me crazy so I just decided to post it.

The headache that Hoseok woke up with was truly one of the worst things he ever experienced, and he once accidentally fell down from the top bunk bed so that was saying something. His mouth was dry so there was no spit to swallow. Setting himself upright was a bad decision in itself, because then the nausea kicked in.

It was not pretty.

There’s a knock on the toilet door and he swore the vibrations made his headache worse. 

“Hoseok-ah? Are you okay?” Came the voice of Hyunwoo and Hoseok could only let out a pathetic groan in reply. “I’ll go get you some of painkillers then.” And there are heavy footsteps moving away.

Painkillers won’t do shit. The thing he drank last night was fairy moonshine (Kihyun’s fairy moonshine to be exact, which was worse probably) but Hoseok couldn’t summon the vials of hangover potion if he wanted to. Everything all Kihyun’s fault, he thought gloomily with his head in the toilet.

But Hyunwoo didn’t know Hoseok was a witch and he would like to keep it that way. As strong and reliable Hyunwoo was, he was still so damn human. 

Hyunwoo came back with some dark blue pill and Hoseok swallowed them dry without thinking twice. They would do for now. Something cool touched his forehead and Hoseok opened his eyes to see Hyunwoo pressing a glass of water to him. 

“Drink.” Hyunwoo said and Hoseok took the glass and did what he was told.

His mouth tasted like a rigor mortis potion. He needed to brush his teeth ASAP.

“Would you like some breakfast? And by breakfast I mean just toast and one egg because that’s all there is in our fridge.” Hyunwoo asked.

“Ramyun” Hoseok croaks. Ramyun would taste so good right now. The perfect hangover food.

“You ate the last one yesterday. We can go get more when we go to the store later.”

Hoseok groaned again. Today was not his day.

After Hyunwoo left to fry up their one (1) egg for him, Hoseok snuck into his room to get the hangover potion that he kept stashed under his bed, along with his other witch kit. He did his best to walk and not crawl as his body demanded. When he got into his room, his heart skipped a beat and not in a good way.

There was a circle on the floor, with candles in a roughly uniform distance apart. Inside was a lock of his hair, his journal and… a dumbbell? And in the middle was a piece of paper.

Oh no. Oh, please no. He did not.

He did NOT cast a spell while drunk, even drunk Hoseok couldn’t be that stupid, would he?

Upon further inspection Hoseok could confirm that indeed drunk Hoseok was 100% THAT stupid. As he heard Hyunwoo’s heavy footsteps headed to him, he hurriedly stuck everything under the bed. But there was still the circle of dried forget-me-nots on the floor that were sort of fragile so he just threw his blanket on it, right before Hyunwoo knocked. Hyunwoo always knocked, no matter what. After two soft knocks, Hyunwoo gently pushed the door open. 

“Hoseok-ah, I made breakfast. Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

“Carry me,” he whined.

Hyunwoo chuckled, “you’re too heavy for me, Hoseok-ah. I can hold your hand, though.”

As if Hoseok would say no to that. Holding Hyunwoo’s hand was nice, it’s big and warm. Hyunwoo pulled him up which made Hoseok wobble a bit, the world tilted but Hyunwoo’s palm pressed against Hoseok’s back helped him balance himself.

Soulmate or no soulmate, spell or no spell, Hoseok was glad he had Hyunwoo as a friend and roommate. Drunk Hoseok was just desperate and lonely.

* * *

“What do you mean drunk-Hoseok? Sober-Hoseok is already that dumb.” Minhyuk said

Disrespectful. What did he do to deserve such a disrespectful dongsaeng? 

“Could drunk-Hoseok even say the incantations right, though?” Jooheon asked. 

“That makes it worse, doesn’t it?” Minhyuk asked, “What if he misread or mispronounced words? It could change the spell and the meaning.”

Hoseok wilfully ignored both of them. He deserved better. Somebody should sympathise with him. His soulmate didn’t show up. 

“What was the spell anyway?” Jooheon asked but not at Hoseok but at Minhyuk. The blond man giggled.

“It was a soulmate summoning spell.” Minhyuk managed out through his giggles. Hearing that, Jooheon too dissolved into giggles. Wonho determinedly trained his eyes on his assigned reading, placed next to his pie.

“Awww, hyung. I know you said you were lonely, but I didn’t know you were that lonely.” Jooheon patted his back in what Hoseok could feel as a little bit condescending. Jooheon probably didn’t mean it that way but Hoseok bristled anyway.

“So, did they appear, whoever it was?” Minhyuk grinned. Dumb fucking fairies. He knew he shouldn’t have associated with fairies. Mischievous shits. Jooheon, the fox spirit, was no better.

Hoseok didn’t reply. They didn’t deserve it. Would Kihyun be more kind? Probably not. Fucking fairies. Just because their people don’t believe in soulmates didn’t make it okay to make fun of Hoseok for believing in it. Hoseok continued to stab at his lunch moodily, already planning to take the non-stabbed parts to Hyunwoo. He would love the pie. Hoseok’s not a big fan of the cafeteria’s version of western food. He was so focused on stabbing that he didn't realise that his friends went quiet.

“Hyung…” Jooheon said softly, “Did anyone show up?”

Hoseok shook his head, lips trembling. No. Nobody showed up.

“It’s okay, hyung. They’re probably on their way. If, uh, the spell worked, that is.” Minhyuk patted Hoseok’s head softly, like he was a pitiful pet.

Hoseok shook his head. “It’s okay, it doesn’t matter. Maybe I did it wrong, who needs soulmates anyways.”

\----

Hoseok grew up believing in Soulmates. 

He was fully aware that all that was hokey cheesy crap so he never said them aloud, even with other creatures, but he truly believed in them. Witches in general believe in soulmates, however as time passed on, it wasn’t as prominent to their culture as it used to be. But he still genuinely believed in them. When then thirteen-year-old Hoseok found the summoning spell, he felt the world finally made sense. It was proof that soulmates existed. 

His family had a few versions of their grimoire, passed down for centuries from witch to witch. So when he was thirteen, his mother gave him the beginner’s version, containing only easy, harmless spells to practice on. He thought that was unfair, he was a big boy who can do magic like adults. So one hot midday, in one of his days that he had to stay at home because he was sick, and his mother off to work, he snuck into the third bedroom that was their casting room. It was where his mother did most of her spells. The house too was passed down for centuries, it was old and every step made a the floor squeak. It was one of the reason he and his brother could never sneak off at night because his mother would be all too aware of it. So sneaking in the casting room during the day was the only answer. He wanted to see the grimoire that his mother used. That the adult witches used. Not the one he got. That one was for babies. The real one had more exciting spells on it. 

The room was locked. He was momentarily disappointed but then he remembered how his mother would always go to the kitchen before going out. That had to be it! 

It took him a good 15 minutes before he found the keys. It was in the kitchen, underneath the spices. Once he got it, he went back up and into the room. There was a table, a big sturdy circular one and on top of it, an old book, frayed at the edges, probably five seconds away from turning into dust itself. The most valuable possession a witch can have: his family’s grimoire.

Hoseok dragged a chair so he could climb on top of it. He hadn’t hit his growth spurt yet, so it was hard to read the book without removing it from the table, which seemed risky. 

The book was remarkable. Beyond words. There were spells that he didn’t know were possible. Twisted, dark spells that he didn't even dare to speak the name, fantastical ones that even to him, a real life witch, seemed fictional. 

But then… but then he flipped over to one particular page. On top of the page said, in a scrawly handwriting of one of his ancestors: Soulmate Summoning Spell. The sun and stars aligned, it felt like. That was it. 

He might be a sickly boy, or just a young witch, from a small town, lonely and unknown but somewhere out there, there was a soulmate for him.

However, it took Hoseok 12 years to be brave enough to cast the spell. Sure, he was black out drunk but it still counted right?

“What do you think of soulmates, Hyunwoo-yah?” Hoseok asked Hyunwoo one day, on the day they agreed to be at home and clean the house, a week after the fairy moonshine incident.. Hyunwoo took care of the bathroom while Hoseok cleaned the kitchen. They agreed to do this once a month when they moved in together. Hoseok might be a disorganised mess but he’s too old to live in a pigsty and Hyunwoo was just a responsible person in general. Sure, his laundry might be all over the place but everything else he seemed to manage fine. They just finished vacuuming the house and it was time to sit on their now crumbless couch, sweaty and tired.

“Huh?” Hyunwoo replied, the subject probably caught him off guard, “soulmates?”

“Yeah, soulmates,” Hoseok decided to continue on, because he already blurted out the question. Might as well. “What do you think about them? Do you believe in it?”

Shownu did this thing where he said ‘uhhhhhh’ as he tried to think. Hoseok had always found it adorable and waited.

“Uhhhh,” he said the second time and maybe Hoseok should drop this before the man malfunctioned permanently, “well…”

“It’s okay, hyunwoo-yah… never mind.”

“No, it’s okay, you asked, sorry, I’ve never had to think about soulmates before,” Hyunwoo scratched his head, “I think everyone has someone out there that will love them.”

“But not soulmates, in particular,” Hoseok asked.

“Well… it depends on what you think soulmates are, wouldn’t it? I think that everyone has someone that will find them worth spending time, effort and love. I think everyone deserves that. What do you… think of soulmates?” Hyunwoo turned to Hoseok and Hoseok looked away.

He never thought about defining soulmates in general. That would be his first mistake wouldn’t it? Spells were all about intentions and how could it summon a soulmate if Hoseok didn’t understand himself what a soulmate was?

“I don’t know, I guess I always took the term soulmate at face value… But now that I think about it… maybe someone that would love me even when I’m at my worst? Even when I’m sick? Just… someone that would love me no matter what. Someone that would love me wholly, fully...” Hoseok trailed off as he finally came to terms of what he actually wanted. He frowned, “is it too far fetched?” He finally looked back to Hyunwoo, who was looking at him so intensely that it caught Hoseok off guard.

“Hoseok,” Hyunwoo’s voice was an anchor and Hoseok’s mind sunk with it, at that moment, “believe me when I say, out of many people in the world, I genuinely think you are truly worth the time, effort and love of anyone. Of everyone,” Hyunwoo’s hand then was at the back of Hoseok’s head, fingers, threading through his hair, “I’ve seen you when you’re at your worst, it would be a privilege for anyone to love you at that time, and a blessing to love you at any other. I don’t know what brought this on, but I hope you never doubt the fact that you are so worthy of love.”

Hoseok simultaneously felt something pressing on his chest and something expanding inside it as well. His face felt hot and then so were his eyes. The next thing he knew he was probably making an ugly crying face as he, indeed, cried. Hyunwoo pulled him close and Hoseok sobbed into his shoulder.

All he could think while sobbing was that whoever Hyunwoo loved or will love was very lucky indeed to have such a man.

After that he didn’t feel so burdened by the fact that his soulmate didn’t show up. And now that he wasn’t so emotionally invested in it (he was, but it didn’t feel like a make or break thing now that Hyunwoo said what he said), he could move on and torture himself with normal everyday things like coven meetings, assignments and keeping himself alive. Which involved feeding himself. Which involved spending money to feed himself. Hoseok could confidently say that a good eighty-percent of his monthly expenses would be spent on food. The other twenty-percent would go towards vitamins. The same could be said for Hyunwoo, who spent most of his day in various stages of hunger, despite how much he ate. Two months into their flatting, they decided to pool both of their money together and share groceries. They would be able to buy more food like that. And that also means grocery shopping together. Which was good and bad at the same time. It was bad mainly because-

“Hoseok-ah, please put the ramyun back you already bought one pack and we agreed that you’re going to eat less ramyun. Your doctor said to eat less preserved things,” Hyunwoo scolded. Well, as much as Hyunwoo can scold. Scolding isn’t really his thing. And maybe, mayyybe Hoseok is doing this just to tease Hyunwoo. Also ramyun. Please. “Absolutely not, Hoseok-ah, don’t you remember how sick you got last month. We agreed. I’m even giving up ramyun for you.”

“Fine,” he huffed. Hyunwoo patted the back of his head and went away to the other isle, trusting Hoseok to put back the ramyun he was holding. The old lady next to him laughed and Hoseok jumped a bit.

“I know how you feel,” the old lady said, “my husband doesn’t even let me be near sugar.”

“Uhh…”

“Our partners are only looking out for us.”

“Uhhhh….” 

The old lady laughed and patted his shoulder. Why was everyone patting him lately?

“You got yourself a good one there, boy.” And she left.

“Huhhh?!”

Hoseok didn’t understand. What just happened? Maybe he should ask Hyunwoo. But that would be potentially embarrassing, So nevermind maybe. Like what message would that send? That Hoseok thought that it was funny someone thought that they were together? Or that he was hinting it? Hoseok blushed.

Nope, nope.

* * *

The following weekend, Hoseok was hired to do a protection spell for a newly married couple. Protection spells were his specialty, they were near impossible to break through. Even Kihyun had his, Hyungwon’s and Changkyun’s house spelled by Hoseok. And if the ever picky Kihyun - the fairy who didn’t trust other people’s magic - approved then Hoseok knew it was something he was truly good at.

“They got married despite protests from their families,” Soyou confided to him after the fortnightly coven meeting. “Something about old family grudges. They’re both witches but he specialises in healing and she’s good at potions. So both of them can’t really guard their house very well. I thought of you instantly when Taeyeon brought it up during lunch. You are one of the best I know.”

Taeyeon was the leader of the other coven. There were many around the city, five just around the university. To hear Soyou recommend him to other covens made him so proud. Hoseok couldn’t help but blush, “thank you.”

“I hope you’ll say yes because they’re both good people. They shouldn’t be punished when all they did was fall in love.”

And Hoseok, ever the romantic, said yes.

He told Hyunwoo that he would be away for the whole of Saturday. For a trip, with a few friends. Lying to Hyunwoo didn’t feel good but he and the rest were thinking of telling him… maybe after a few subtle questions about his views of magic and magical creatures.

Hoseok wondered if he would still like to flat with him, a witch. He wondered if Hyunwoo would think of him worthy of love after knowing he was a witch. Something squirmed deep in his belly but he ignored it. 

Soyou picked him up at his flat that morning. He packed everything he needed in his gym bag and he put it down nicely in the trunk of the car.

“You still live here with that boyfriend of yours?” Soyou asked as he put on the seatbelt.

It was not his fault that he immediately thought of Hyunwoo. It was not. Then came the utter embarrassment that Soyou thought that they were together. Him and Hyunwoo. What. No. 

“He’s not my boyfriend.” Hoseok replied, ears hot. Soyou had the most incredulous expression on her face. “Did you think… all this time that he was my boyfriend?”

“Everyone in the coven thought that he was your boyfriend. Everyone. The way you talk about him,” Soyou said. Hoseok’s ears are burning and so was his face.

“H-he’s not! Really! We’re just flatmates. And good friends,” Hoseok explained and willed his body to calm down. So what if people thought that they were together. Hyunwoo was a good man. Anyone who could call Hyunwoo as theirs would be lucky indeed. Whether or not they’d be worthy of such a man like Hyunwoo was another thing by itself but anyways. But the thing was that it wasn’t true. “Can we go now?”

Hoseok couldn’t interpret the face Soyou made but then she pulled out her sunglasses and put it on. Then they were off.

When they arrived at the house, they were greeted by a couple in their late twenties smiling sunnily at them. 

“Thank you so much for agreeing to this,” the man, Sungmin, said, “it really means a lot for the two of us.”

“No worries, I’m glad to help,” Hoseok said. After a few more pleasantries, the woman introduced herself as Saeun, Hoseok suggested that they start because it might take the whole day.

And it did take the whole day, in the end. It ended at midnight specifically. Hoseok decided to play to the strength of the Saeun, making the protective circle around their house more potion based. Protection spells were always more powerful if the caster’s intentions were pure and sincere. It would not do if he were the only one casting the spell, so having Saeun, who actually had stakes in the matter would make it more effective. 

The part he actually hated the most was combing through the house for talismans or hex bags, just in case somebody planted something prior to them moving in. Or while they were sleeping. It was a tiring physical work that at one point all four adults were on the lawn, combing through grass to see if there was anything. They did find something buried in the lawn, which made things harder because then they would have to extend the protective circle to totally encompass the lawn as well. The mixture for the protection circle had to be made during the day, in a bronze bowl, ingredients mixed in carefully until they were translucent liquid that would turn silver when they had to be poured along the perimeter of the house when the moon was high. 

Hoseok was very thankful that everyone cooperated so well, because having clients that question your every move was hell. He was very humbled over the fact that Soyou respected him and his knowledge so much that she didn’t go against him anything. She did ask why he chose to do things a certain way, after he explained she nodded and accepted it. He expected Soyou to change a few things, she was far more experienced in, well, everything. She was his coven leader after all, and he wouldn’t mind if Soyou thought doing certain things were better, he would’ve followed her lead but she just… followed  _ his _ lead. He remembered stuttering and his lisp coming back in full force after the realisation that they wholly trusted him to carry this out weighed on him. Soyou just patted him on the shoulder and told him to relax. He got this.

And he did. The whole day went without a hitch.

They took a break for around sunset and the couple kindly invited them for a homemade dinner. When seated at the table, he got a text from Hyunwoo asking him if he was alright and if he was coming home. Hoseok texted back that he was indeed alright, and that he wasn’t sure what time he was coming home. He promised he would text him if anything changed. 

“So you’re in love?” Sungmin asked, a bit of a giggle in his tone.

“Huh?” was all that Hoseok could manage.

“Reading auras is also one of my specialties. And when you got that text your aura was very… pink.” The man smiled. “Pink is usually for people in love.”

Hoseok felt like there was a car crash but in his head. What. 

His phone buzzed as a text came in. From the notifications he could see that Hyunwoo told him to have fun and be safe.

“See, your aura. You’re very pink.” Sungmin said.

What Hoseok could feel was his ears and cheeks were very red. 

“Honey, leave him alone,” Saeun came to the rescue.

Sungmin let out a laugh and went to help his wife set up.

Soyou leaned in, with the most knowing look on her face which was a bit irritating and said, “Hyunwoo texted you, didn’t he.”

If Hoseok’s head could explode from embarrassment, it would have.

“Leave me alone.”

And if he reread their text conversation again it was his business. 

* * *

Hyunwoo moved easily in general. He was a bulky man and his demeanor might come off as awkward to most but Hyunwoo moved very easily. Hoseok understood that about him, but seeing Hyunwoo be so graceful when he danced was a whole matter entirely. There was a part of him that refused to breathe Hyunwoo did a certain move. Or all of them.

“Can you maybe close your mouth,” Kihyun whispered to him, “you’re too obvious.”

Hoseok had not known that he was gaping but there was no way he could be blamed. He felt his mouth close but his eyes still follow Hyunwoo’s movements.

“He’s just… a really good dancer.” Hoseok muttered.

“We know that and it’s not your first time watching him either so can you just look… less whipped.” Kihyun whispered to him. Hoseok furiously blinked as he tried to break free from whatever spell a dancing Hyunwoo got him under. He didn’t know how he looked but he hoped that it wasn’t as bad as Kihyun made it sound.

Hyunwoo was part of the uni’s dance association, one of its star members that the student representatives liked to boast about. They would have to find a new person to adore soon since Hyunwoo was in his last year of uni. The dance association have said - many times - that he didn’t have to be a student to be a member. Hoseok knew because he heard this multiple times when he was accompanying Hyunwoo to a meeting or a mixer. They were trying to hold on to him as long as they could and Hyunwoo just smiled and laughed shyly. There wasn’t a show that they didn’t find a way for Hyunwoo to be involved.

This time it was a series of performances that had something to do with mental health awareness of something - Hoseok cared, he swore he did, he really was passionate for students’ mental health but he couldn’t remember much right then - and Hyunwoo and his group did a very impressive interpretational dance that Hoseok knew for a fact that Hyunwoo choreographed, that had far exceeded the student production and well into the realm of straight up professionalism.

“Can you at least look human, hyung,” Kihyun hissed at him.

“There’s no way I’m that bad,” Hoseok hissed right back.

“Soulmate summoning spell my ass,” Kihyun muttered and Hoseok would like to demand what the hell he meant by that but the second part of Hyunwoo’s performance was starting and he would not let Kihyun go until- Oh, wow, look at how Hyunwoo effortlessly lifted up the girl…

“Hyung, you were great!” Changkyun cheered as he appeared out of nowhere.

Hyunwoo did that thing where he smiled so much his eyes are two cute curves and Hoseok would like him to smile that forever. A common sentiment, he was sure. Hyunwoo should smile like that all the time and everyone should agree.

“You came,” Kihyun said to Changkyun and it vaguely sounded like disapproval.

“Yeah, I mean, my soul left me during the exam and I am but a vessel but you were so good, hyung,” Changkyun gushed which meant something was wrong because Changkyun could get excitable he never  _ gushed _ .

“Somebody should get him home so he could sleep,” Hyunwoo said, hand gently cupping the back of Changkyun’s head. Chnagkyun’s eyes were strangely wide and his general complexion were sallow at best. Kihyun sighed and pulled the younger one to him.

“I’ll do it,” Kihyun said before turning to Hyunwoo briefly, “you were great, hyung, though, really.”

“Thank you, Kihyun-ah,” Hyunwoo said and he did that smile thing and Hoseok’s heart just  _ clenched. _

With that, Kihyun pulled Changkyun away and slowly to the auditorium exit. Changkyun giggled and followed him. Hyungwon and Jooheon had an exam tomorrow so they couldn’t risk coming. Minhyuk was there but after the performance he had to sneak away to the toilet. He had an exam tomorrow too, but he reasoned his was in the afternoon therefore he had time. 

“I know for a fact he didn’t sleep last night to study for the mid-sem test,” Hyunwoo chuckled, then he turned to Hoseok, “thank you for coming Hoseok-ah.” 

Hoseok’s heart did a weird  _ wrenching _ motion when that smile thing was directed at him and it was hard to breathe again.

“You worked so hard for it, Hyunwoo-yah, I wouldn’t dream of not coming. Do you want to go eat? You must be hungry,” Hoseok knew this to be true because he knew  how taxing a whole performance can be, it took a lot from you physically. 

Also, Hyunwoo was always hungry. 

Hyunwoo nodded and Hoseok noticed a couple droplets of sweat trickling down his neck. That moment felt that it was in slow motion and it would have been an awkward thing if Minhyuk didn’t come barrelling through a few people and hugged Hyunwoo.

“Hyung! You were wonderful! I can’t believe you did that!” Minhyuk yelled, “I texted Hyungwon and Jooheon that they were missing the performance of the century being nerds. Hyung, you were really really good. Wow!”

Hyunwoo hugged him back and laughed despite the fact that Minhyuk was yelling directly into his ear. 

“Thank you Minhyuk-ah,” he patted Minhyuk at the back of his blond head, “are you sure you should be here? You should go home and study.”

And Hoseok knew it took everything Minhyuk had not to go home right then and study. Hyunwoo might be human but he had the almost magical gift of making people want to do what’s best for themselves. But Minhyuk was 1) a procrastinating disaster and 2) overconfident in his cramming superpowers. And also probably 3) he’s a fairy and fairies were nothing if not viciously stubborn.

“No, no, let’s go eat, you guys were talking about eating right, let’s go, I’m hungry,” Minhyuk said hurriedly. Hyunwoo threw a helpless look at Hoseok, hoping for an intervention. 

“Minhyuk-ah, we’ll do dinner for all seven of us later, when everyone is all rested and had finished their exams, okay?” Hoseok tried. Sometimes both him and Hyunwoo had to team up and manage five young men (to hoseok: two fairies, one forest spirit, a shifter and a fox spirit) and he was not sure how it ended up this way. Hyunwoo was doing well for a human who had no idea that his close knit of friends were magical creatures.

“Nooo,” Minhyuk weakened, “I can study tonight and tomorrow,” he pouted.

“Minhyuk-ah, it’s better if you go home and study, have some sleep then wake up early and study. Remember the last time you cried because you regretted that you went out to watch a movie?” Hyunwoo stroked the back of Minhyuk’s head softly and the clench of Hoseok’s heart was back. 

I love you, Hoseok found himself thinking, watching Hyunwoo being so caring and loving to their friend. So considerate and responsible. I love you, he thought again as he somewhat registered that Hyunwoo was convincing Minhyuk to go and study.

I love you, Hoseok thought again as Minhyuk made Hyunwoo promise to have dinner together and Hyunwoo nodded, eyes soft. The same softness that was directed to Changkyun earlier.

I love you, Hoseok thought as Hyunwoo did a little dance on the chair when their orders finally came. They went to their usual restaurant where the aunty was kind and always gave them extras. He looked so excited and happy and Hoseok knew that he would do anything to make Hyunwoo happy. 

I love him, Hoseok thought before sleeping, after watching Hyunwoo walk around their tiny flat with his thick glasses on, fresh out of the shower. He didn’t know if it was good or bad, this feeling, but it felt inevitable. He thought he would decide later, unwilling to break his high. He fell asleep thinking about how several hours stretched on as if someone had casted a time slowing spell as he realised how utterly in love he was with his best friend and flatmate. 

_ I love him. _

* * *

Hoseok didn’t bother going through a whole denial phase because if anything made sense, it was the fact that he was in love with Son Hyunwoo. And if Son Hyunwoo was anything, it was that he was worthy of unlimited and endless love. There was nothing not to love about Hyunwoo.

What he did, in fact, go through was a whole pain of unrequited love angst because Hyunwoo didn't love him.

Which was fine. Hyunwoo had no obligation to love him. Hyunwoo deserve to love whoever he wanted to love. And it didn't have to be Hoseok. Well, it would’ve been nice if it was Hoseok - wonderful, magnificent, glorious, really if he loved Hoseok. But he didn’t. And that’s fine.

Several days passed that his emotions vault between good positive feelings to ‘the man i love doesn’t love me’. It had been an exhausting few days.

“Hyung,” Changkyun prodded him, which made Hoseok snap out of whatever it was he was in, “are you okay? You haven’t been… aware, I think, lately? I mean, you’re kind of out of it.”

“Ah,” Hoseok managed to sound vaguely alive, which was pretty dramatic of him but whatever, “it’s nothing, Kkukkungie.”

Changkyun frowned, “are you sure? You know, I’m a good listener. And I won’t judge. And I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to.”

Should he? He shouldn’t. 

But he should talk about it.

But he shouldn’t because Changkyun looked up to Hyunwoo. Or at least loved him like an older brother. Would it be weird?

He should. Probably. 

“You promise not to judge?” Hoseok asked.

Changkyun nodded.

“And please don’t tell anyone. At least, not until I’m ready.” 

“Yes, hyung. I promise I won’t.”

“So,” Hoseok started, if he could just push out his thoughts maybe they would make some type of sense. He didn’t know where to start… or maybe he did. “I’m in love with Hyunwoo.”

“Okay. and?” Changkyun said and Hoseok felt sort of offended about how well he was taking this.

“What do you mean ‘okay, and?’” Hoseok demanded.

Changkyun’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Hoseok and Hoseok didn’t know what that look meant. Then those eyebrows lifted until it was almost his hairline and Hoseok didn’t know what that meant either. He should look surprised when Hoseok said that he was in love with Hyunwoo. The reaction wasn’t in a sequence he was expecting and it unsettled him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Hoseok demanded again.

“Oh I just- I thought - I’ve always thought- that you knew. I mean, when I first met you guys I thought- but then Kihyun-hyung said that you weren’t- but at least I thought one of you-”

“Changkyun, you’re not making any sense.” Hoseok tried to not sound so annoyed but he just was.

“I- um. Maybe you should talk to somebody else.” Changkyun scratched his head.

What.

“You just said that you’re a good listener.” Hoseok protested, a little bewildered.

“That came out wrong. I mean… maybe you should talk to someone more… experienced? Like Kihyun-hyung? Hyungwon-hyung have been relationships before,” Changkyun said, “I mean, I have been in relationships but they’ve been mostly- nevermind. What I mean is that this feels like there’s a lot at stake.”

Hoseok felt his heart sink into the floor. “There is?”

Changkyun groaned and pressed his fingers into his eyes in what looked like frustration. “You know what, let’s go see Kihyun-hyung. I should shut up. Don’t listen to me. Come on, hyung, let’s go.” Changkyun pulled Hoseok’s hand and made him stand up. Hoseok often forgot that as a wolf shifter that Changkyun was pretty strong. “Kihyun-hyung should be home, he only has a morning class today and he comes home to make himself lunch and watch soap operas. Let’s go.”

He didn’t know that there were things at stake. But he simply followed Changkyun anyway to the flat that he, Kihyun and Hyungwon shared.

Kihyun was indeed home and he was munching on what seemed to be kimbap. 

If Hoseok wasn’t so jittery he would be sneaking behind the fairy to steal a bite. He was just too nervous. What did Changkyun mean that there was a lot at stake? Hoseok never- He didn’t- He loved Hyunwoo. 

Maybe that was the problem? That he shouldn’t?

“Hyung,” Changkyun called out to him. Kihyun turned and Hoseok could see that his cheeks are puffed up due to the food inside his mouth. Hoseok didn’t miss the way  that Changkyun’s gaze softened. It looked… fond…

Kihyun swallowed. “Kkukkung! Hoseok-hyung? What are you doing here? Don’t you have class? Hoseok-hyung, I mean. I know Kkukkung doesn’t.”

“Changkyun, he-” Hoseok started to answer.

“Hyung, Hoseok-hyung needs to talk to you.”

Kihyun looked at Hoseok. “He does?”

“Apparently, I do. Apparently there’s a lot at stake.”

Changkyun grimaced, “okay, maybe I was being a bit dramatic.”

“What’s going on?” Kihyun frowned and Hoseok noticed that he had already set aside his meal. 

“Hoseok-hyung just told me that he loves Hyunwoo-hyung.”

Kihyun nodded. “Okay, and?”

Which was the last fucking straw.

“What do you mean, ‘okay, and?’!” Hoseok accidentally yelled. Too bad it didn’t affect neither Kihyun or Changkyun. 

“See! That’s what I meant!” Changkyun crowed at Hoseok. “We all thought that you guys are together. Have always been together, since, like, the dawn of time.”

“Wait, you’re telling me he just realised this.” Kihyun cut in. But he didn’t wait for Changkyun to answer and turned to Hoseok. “You’re telling me you just realised this?”

“I- Yes? Few days ago?”

“A few days ago?” Both Kihyun and Changkyun chorused in what sounded like disbelief. 

“You’re… beyond help.” Kihyun said, wide eyed. “All this time. After all this time? Three years of flatting together and now? Only now?”

“What’s going on?” Hoseok whimpered. He didn’t understand. 

“We need to calm down,” Changkyun said, visibly trying to center himself.

“Right,” Kihyun took a deep breath, “This is no big deal.”

“It is a big deal!” Hoseok burst out, “Am I that obvious? How long have i been in love with him? What does this mean?”

“One: yes, you are. Two: I don’t know, we just thought both of you have been in love since forever. Three: I don’t know. What do you want it to mean?” Kihyun ticked off each question with his fingers.

Hoseok found himself wringing his hands. He didn’t know. What would it mean? 

“Have you thought of telling Hyunwoo-hyung?” Changkyun asked.

Well… not really. He was going to die with this. He was willing to carry this to the grave. Okay maybe not that dramatic. 

“I’m not there yet.” 

Which apparently was a wrong thing to say because both Kihyun and Changkyun groaned in unison.

“Three years,” Changkyun whined..

Okay, now they’re the ones who are being dramatic.

“It’s not that bad!” Hoseok protested.

Hoseok had a feeling that if he were closer to the both of them they would pat him on the head. “It is,” they informed him.

“You guys are no help, I’m leaving.” He huffed. This was not what he expected at all. He felt like he missed so many things. And the fact that he was out of the loop in his own love life (or lack thereof) made him vaguely pissed off.

Changkyun shot up from the couch where he was lying facedown with Kihyun and tugged Hoseok back. 

“Okay, okay, we’re sorry. Just sit.”

“Yeah, sit,” Kihyun said finally getting up., “I’ll make tea. And we’ll sit down and talk.”

The thing about Kihyun, Hyungwon and Changkyun’s flat is that it is very homey, despite being a cheap flat for students. There were Hyungwon’s blankets and cushions on the couch, Changkyun’s weird art on the walls and Kihyun’s neatly stacked books on the sad little coffee table. The carpet was clean and comfortable to sit on and there’s always something to eat in the fridge. (Kihyun keeps cooking while Hyungwon sometimes ate out and never finished his meals so he ended up packing his leftover food and brought it home). It was an amalgamation of three different individuals who have lived there for three years or so and it was genuinely a place that Hoseok liked to unwind with the rest of the group. They would have ramyun and watch movies every few weeks or so here. Hyunwoo would be on the couch while Hoseok sat on the floor between his legs and Hyunwoo would run his fingers through Hoseok’s hair throughout the movie-

You know what, maybe the kids have a point.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kihyun placing a weirdly decorated mug in front of him. No doubt one of Changkyun’s weird art projects. “Do you want anything to eat?”

“I’m fine.”

Kihyun and Changkyun also took a seat and each with a mug of tea, both are different colours and sizes. 

“I can’t tell him,” Hoseok said.

“Why not?” replied Kihyun.

“I don’t think I can take the rejection. I’m okay with him never loving me. I’m good with that. He doesn’t owe me anything. But I don’t think I can every take him saying he doesn’t love me. Not in the way I want him to.”

“But that is just assuming that he doesn’t love you.” Changkyun said.

“He doesn’t.”

“And how do you know that, you didn’t even know that you love him until what, three days ago?”

“Four,” Hoseok mumbled into his tea.

“Whatever. Four. All I’m saying is that you’re not actually the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to things like this.”

“Hey!”

“Hyunwoo-hyung always have you on his mind. Always.  _ Did Hoseok eat? Is he okay? Where did he disappear off to? _ ” Kihyun lowered his voice in an attempt to impersonate Hyunwoo. It wasn't a bad one.

“So? That’s what friends do. You guys do that. Both of you and Hyungwon,” Hoseok said defensively. When he said that both of Changkyun’s and Kihyun’s faces change into something ridiculously pitying.

“Oh, hyung,” Kihyun said while Changkyun was smirking a bit, “me and changkyun and hyungwon are together.”

What.

“What?” Hoseok choked out, “like in the house together?”

“Like in a poly relationship together.”

Oh my god.

“You chose, like, the wrong people to give as an example,” Changkyun pats his hand. Hoseok, having had enough, smacked it away.

“Since when?” He asked disbelievingly, “none of you ever said anything.”

Both of them blushed. 

“We didn’t know how to tell you guys. It’s not exactly a mainstream thing. It’s been a few months now. But we’ll talk about that in another time. We’re here because of you.”

“This is too much information at once.”

“Ehh… you could’ve processed it a lot sooner if you’re less… you, I guess.” Kihyun said and Hoseok wasn’t even in the mood to be offended.

-tbc  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Wanna know what's going to happen? 
> 
> bitch_me_too_the_fuck.gif
> 
> Please leave a comment! Constructive criticisms are welcomed!
> 
> my twitter is @vantablackjoker so come say hi?


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